Dipping machine



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,687 r c. NICHOLSON DI PPING MACHINE Filed March 1927 r 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 26, 1929.

C. NICHOLSON DIPPING MACHINE Li-A? 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 1927 M7% 5562: '6 4660/? Iran Patented Feb. 26', 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

sumo NIcnoLsoN, or Laommsrm, massacnusm'rs.

' nn'arme, momma Application filed March 2, 1927. Serial No. 172,120.

of time and labor, as well'as. with marked economyin the use o f coating material.

\Vith this general object in view one important'feature of my invention relates to the provision of means for automatically withdrawing the articles from the dipping solution at a predetermined slow rate of speed;

Another feature of my invention relatest o the provision of means for lifting the arti-- cles to a predetermined raised position, and

for retaining the articles in such position un til manually removed therefrom. I have also provided convenient devices for supporting the articles to be dipped, and for positioning them in groups in the dipping machine.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be' hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A, preferred form of the invention is' p ed on the platen!" bushing 21, and. is-proshown 'in the drawings, in which-' 7 ,Fig. 1' is a front elevation of my improved dipping machine, with portions of thctank shown in section; r i

Fig. '2 is a sectional sideel'evation of the machine, takenalong the line 22in Fig; 1; F is an enlarged front elevation, partly in's'ect'iomof aportion'ofthe' driving mechai r v Fi 4 i c nal ottom view, taken alongtheline l 4,"in Fig. 3;

' Fig.5 is a front elevation of certain of the.

parts shoWn'inFig. 3, but ina different pdsition;ai11'd Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the work holdingbo'ards.- V

Referring to the drawings, my improved dipping machine comprises a frame'having end members 10, upper cross b31511, andjrear ews h f am f he e eif me b of any convenient construction, but are preferably made from pieces of angle iron.

A tank 13 is provided for holding'the lacquer, enamel, or other coating solution; and the tank is preferably mounted. upon small wheels or r0lls.14, so that it may be' easily moved to and from operative position. This provision'of an easily removable tank is of considerable importance, as it enables the machine to be readily used for dipping arti-.

cles in different kinds or colors ofcoatin solutions by simply rolling one tank out o the machine and replacing thesa'me-with a tank having diiferent solution therein.

A dipping head 16is guided"tor vertical movement between the end frames 10 and issupportedby ropes or cables 17' passing over, gil ld'e pulleysl8 at the'top ofthe frame, and

having counter-weights 19 suspendedfrom .the'freeend's' thereof. The frame 16 is thus supported'in such manner that it may be moved. vertically by hand with relath'ely sli'glit etfort A-threaded rod 20 is secured to the dip ping head IGne'a'r-th'e centerof its Iengt'hand extends upward" through a plate or bushing 21 (Fig. 3) resting upon the cross bars 11 of the machine frame and secured thereto by bolts22 p A driving member 23 is rotatably support shown)."

The member 23 provided with portions 30 (Fig. 4) sli'dably mounted'in a transverse guideway in the member 28 and forminga split nutforthe threadedrod 20. f

Studs 31 project downwardifromtiiesliding members 30' into cam slots 32 in a locking plate 33. The plate 33 has a limited angular movement relative" to themember 23, andby a such movement the threaded members'at) are moved toward or awayfrom' the threaded,

rod 2 plurality of spokes or handles35 extend. outward f'rom the plate 38,:uid' a' latvhfifi mo (Fig. is pivotally mounted on the member 23 and is adapted to engage oneof the handles 35, as shown in Fig. 5. When the member 23 and plate 33 are thus locked together, the cam slots 32 are in such position that the threaded members 30 engage the threaded rod 20 and act as a nut therefor.

Coil springs 38 are each connected at one end to screws 39 in the plate 33,-and at the other end'to screws 40 in the member W hen the latch 86 is raised, the springs38 move the plate 33 angularly to release the I split nut from the threaded rod 20.

. dipping head 16 will remain in any 'In order to release the latch 36 automatically, l have provided a knock-oil linger 42 '(Fig. 1) whichinay be clamped in any do to which it hasbeen moved, being by friction and by the eilect ot' weights 19.

" By the mechanism thus far described, I

have provided a dipping head which may be loweredmanually to immerse articles in a coating solution and which may be raised automatically at a predetermined rate of speed to a selected elevation, at which point the lifting mechanism will be automatically disconnected.

While the machine is capable of general application, it is largely used for the dipping otsmall: articles of wood, such as handles and knobs, and when used for such purposes, I preferably provide work-holding boards e5, one of which is shown in Fig. 6. Each board 45 is provided with a large number of nails y. or other sharp pointed elements 46, extending through the board and spaced apart in two 7 ilirectioiis, so that a large number of articles W1 may be readily securcdto each board by 'ainst the ends of the driving the articles a nails d6 by a rubber hammer or some similar device. In actual practice, each board is usually adapted to support one hundred separate articles. I For attaching, the boards 45 tothe dipping ,llOtlCl 1.6, I preferably provide holders 50,

secured to the lower endsofrods 51, each of whichis vertically adjustable in a sleeve or bearing-52 on the head 16.

On its lower face, eachholder ispro- .vided with inturned flanged membersl53,

between whichthe boards 45 may be longitudinally inserted. The provision of the adjustable rods 51 permits the machine to support different boards at diiierentelevations,

if desired, so that articles of different lengths may be dipped at a single operation by ad- When the rod is raised to a predetorfl Having thus described my invention, it is believed that the operation and advantages thereof will be readily apparent. The operator first provides a tank 13 containing lacquer, enamel, or other coating solution or the desired kind and color, and then assembles the pieces of work W on boards l5'and inserts the boards 45 in the holders 50, which have been vertically adjusted to the desired relative heights. He then sets the knock-oh finger 42 to engage the latch 86 at the desired elevation, and then depresses the dipping head 16 manually so that the articles are. all immersed in the solution. He'then grasps one of the slowly rotating handles 35,- and swings it to position to be locked by the latch 36, thus closing the lock-nut and placing the elevating mechanism in operation.

The head then proceeds to moveupward with a slow and uniform motion; and itis the provision of this slow and uniform withdrawal of thearticle from the coating solution which is one of the greatest advantages of my invention, as articles thus slowly and uniformly. withdrawn are very evenly coated.

By suitably regulating the'sgeed'to the thickness of" the coating solution, all parts of the articles may be smoothly'coated with aminimum of material. 7

By the time the dipping head 16' has reached its selectedelevation andits movement has ceased, the coating material will have drained from the articles to such an extent that the boards 15 maybe removed and quickly inverted, thus causing the remaining drop of material at V the bottomf of each article to spread outand smoothly coat the extreme end of the article. lefton-the boardsin inverted position until thoroughly dried, after which it may be readily removed therefrom.

In actual operation, the saving of lacquer or other coating material by the slow gradual withdrawal, permitting the solution to drip back into the tank, has been' found so great that the machines are quickly paid forfby'the saving in coating material alone, regardless of the greatsaving in time and labor. 7 A

furthersubstantial saving is obtained by the reduction in the amount of thinner which is used in the solution. 7 This thinner is expensive and it adds'nothing to the finished product, as it evaporates in the drying process. The reducedarnount of t-hinnerneces'sary for use with my machine is thus a clear additional gain. v V

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, 1 do not wish to be limited to'the details herein disclosed, otherwise than set fo-rthin the claims.

Vi hat-Iclaim is 1. A dipping machine comprising. means The work may be e anism, said holding means being movable freely downward to immerse the work in a coating solution, means to raise the work out of said coatingsolution at a definite predetermined and relatively slow rate of speed,

and means to vary said rate of speed.

3. A dipping machine comprising a tank, a work holder, mechanism for dr ving said work holder, means permitting movement of said work holder irrespective of said mechanism to immerse the work in'the contents of the tank, means including said mechanism to raise the work holder at a predetermined regular rate of upward travel, and means to removably mount said work holder in the machine. a

4. A dipping machine comprising a tank, a work holder, mechanism for driving said Work holder, means permitting movement of said workholder irrespective of said mecha' nism to immerse the work in the contents of the tank, means to raise the work holder at a predetermined regular rate of upward travel,

7 and means to stop the movement of said holder at any predetermined point, in its upward travel.

5. A dipping machine comprising aframe, a tank, a dipping head supported in said frame above said tank, mechanism for driving said dipping head, means permitting movement of said head irrespective of said mechanism, means to suspend the work from said head, said head being movable downward to dip the work, mechanical means to raise said frame and head at a slow predetermined rate of travel, and variable means to limit said upward travel. V

6. .A dipping machine comprising a frame, a tank, a dipping head supported in said frame abovesaid tank, means to suspend the work from said head, said head being movable downward to dip the work, a threaded rod secured to said head and extending upward therefrom, a split nut for said rod, means to rotate said nut continuously in a definite vertical position, means by which said nut may be closed manually on said rod,

and means to open said nut when said head has reached a predetermined elevation.

7. A dipping machine comprising a frame, a tank, a dipping head supported in said frame above said: tank, means to suspend the work from said head, said head being movable manually downward to dip the work, a; continuously actuated driving memberinsaid frame, manually operable means to connect said driving member to raise said: dapp; head at a predetermined rateoftravel, an adjustable automatic means to thereafter disconnect said drivingme'mber from said head, at a predetermined point in the travel of said head.

8. A dipping machine comprising a frame, a tank, a dipping head supported in said frame above said tank, means to suspend the work from said head, said head being movable manually downward to dip the work,a continuously actuated driving member in said frame, manually operable means to connect said driving member to raise said dipping head at a predetermined rate of travel, and automatic means to disconnect said driving member from said head when said head has been raised to a predeterminedelevation.

9. A dipping machine comprising a work holder, mechanism for driving said work holder, means permitting movement of said work holder irrespective of said mechanism, said means being adapted to move said work holder vertically in a predetermined path, and a tank for the coating solution, said tank being movably mounted for convenient horizontal insertion and removal in the machine beneath said work holder.

10. Ina dipping machine, a dipping head, a plurality of work holding devices, means in said head to detachably secure each of said devices to said head, and means for adjustto separately adjust the vertical'position of each work holding device relative to said head. Y

11. A 'dipping machine, comprising a frame, a dipping head and work supporting means removably held therein, to hold and lution, means to stop the movement of said ing said securing means in said head, thereby V rod and head at a predetermined point in the travel thereof, and means to predetermine the rate of travel of said rod and head.

12. In a dipping machine, a dipping head, a plurality of work holding devices comprising boards removably mounted on said head, and pointed holding devices fixed in spaced relation in said boards and on which articles toibe coated may be readily positioned and afiixed, and means for separately adjusting the vertical position of each of said'boards relative to said head. I Y Y 13. A dipping machine, comprising a frame, a tank, a dipping head supported in B0 ill ' said frame above said tank, means to suspend the Work from saidhead, said head being movable manually downward to dip the Work, a continuously actuated 'di iving member in said frame, a threaded rod mounted on said head, means in said driving member adapted for engagement With said rod, manually operable means to place said engageabie means in threaded engagement'with said rod thereby to connect said rod to said drivin means and 10 In testimony whereof I have he 'ennto af 15 iiiei iensen fixed my signature.

CELTIC 

